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Topic: 04.16.2132 - Gone Camping (Read 8163 times)

"Let's just say they won't be grounding me again!" Xavier's statement was accompanied by an angry stare.

Jared shifted uncomfortably, "Heh, your just kidding, right?"

Xavier didn't reply. Instead he shifted and turned onto his back. He lay there looking up at the top of the wagon. "Yeah," he said calmly. "I'm just kidding. I never actually knew my folks ... or their families. I'm told my parents had "illegally consummated their relationship". I was the result. So, yeah, I'm a bastard orphan." Xavier seemed amused by the term.

"Anyway, my dad was taken to prison and then served in the military. He was killed by Karh'Thul in his first year of service. My mom was sent to prison after my birth and then did her term of military service. She, too, was killed in battle by Karh'Thul."

Xavier noticed Jared's expression become slightly fearful. "Now before you start thinking that I'm doomed to be killed by Karh'Thul too, let me tell you that neither of my parents were particularly well trained in combat. Also, being former prisoners, they were chosen for the more dangerous missions."

"Neither of my parent's families wanted anything to do with me. I was either "that slut's child" or "the offspring of that bastard". So I was raised in the loving care of the orphanage. Guess you could say Shanteel is the closest thing to a parent that I have ever known."

Xavier laughed a bit. "Maybe he and your dad can start a Father-of-the-Year club?"

"Mate." Jared cursed in a whisper. "That is pretty sad story Xavier. So what, your parents must have been in school when they...um....made you..." Xavier laughed to himself. He could tell that the kid had just barely enough understanding of the subject to be embarassed by it.

"...and got sent to prison for it eh? That law sucks ass." Jared finished. He lay down opposite Xavier and also faced the ceiling. They wouldn't have to yell over the wagon noise, as their heads were about a pace away from each other, and the wagon was unexpectedly quiet during its journey.

"Yeah, I think my mom was my age when she had me. She must have been Renee's age when she died. I think my dad was just a year or so older. It's funny, you know, I don't even feel sad about it. Guess it's hard to feel sad about people you never even knew. I think all I really ever feel about it is anger. Anger at the government for destroying my family. Anger at Shanteel for being such a goat mater. Anger at the Karh'Thul for snacking on my folks. Just ... angry, but a good kinda angry. A productive kinda angry."

“Don’t hate me, but I almost envy you not knowing your parents. One I want to ki...beat, the other I can’t live without,” he said correcting his thought.

“My mom and I have been writing to each other for the past two years. She thanks me in each one for keeping her alive inside. She doesn’t complain about prison life, or talk about the resistance, and I can’t tell her about Whisper...the almighty POOSH controls everything we can say to each other,” he stated with dramatic flare of his hands and arms above him, saluting the postal service of safe-haven.

“I know though....” Jared paused and Xavier’s attention awaited anxiously. “...I know she will restart what my coward father had only hesitated. And when she does, I will be 15, and I will be ready to help her.”

"I'll be there too, Jared." Xavier kept his eyes locked on the top of the wagon. "Your mom was right working against the government. She could use all the help she can get and I think we need to get the rest of Whisper involved, too. We need to do something other than hiding in the haystacks waiting to get caught." Xavier sighed.

"But right now we should be getting some sleep. We can talk more tomorrow. I've a feeling this Mr. Church is going to be a tough-ass tomorrow. Well, he'll try. No way he can compare to Shanteel, hehe. Night, Jared."